News

Kanhangad All Set to Host 42nd Kerala State Youth Basketball Championship; Former Sports Minister E.P. Jayarajan to Inaugurate
KANHANGAD – May 3, 2026 – The basketball fever is set to grip Kanhangad as the city prepares to host the 42nd Kerala State Youth Basketball Championship for Boys & Girls. Organized by the Kasargod District Basketball Association under the aegis of the Kerala Basketball Association (KBA) and powered by Starting Five Sports Management, the prestigious tournament will run from May 6th to 10th, 2026.
The championship serves as a critical prelude to the Youth National Championship, showcasing the finest budding talent from across the state. Matches will be held across two venues: the Alamippali Mini Indoor Stadium and Christ CMI Public School, Kanhangad.
Tournament Format & Participants
A total of 14 district teams in the Boys’ category and 12 teams in the Girls’ category will vie for the top honours. The tournament follows a competitive League-cum-Knockout format:
•    Boys: The top three teams from Pools A and B, joined by the leaders of Pools C and D, will advance to the knockouts.
•    Girls: The top two finishers from each of the four pools (A, B, C, and D) will secure their spots in the knockout stage.
Thrissur (Boys) and Kozhikode (Girls) enter the tournament as the defending champions, looking to protect their titles against formidable challengers.
Grand Inauguration
The championship will be officially declared open by Shri E.P. Jayarajan, Former Sports Minister of Kerala. The opening ceremony will be presided over by Shri V.V. Rameshan, Chairman of Kanhangad Municipality.
A highlight of the event will be the honouring of Shri P.J. Sunny, former Chairman of the Selection Committee of the Basketball Federation of India, for his immense contribution to the sport. The ceremony will begin with a welcome address by Anil Bangalam (Convenor, Pre-Program Committee), followed by the Championship Report presented by P.C. Antony (Secretary, KBA). Felicitations will be offered by Mrs. Latha Balakrishnan (Vice Chairperson), Ms. Soumya Sunil (Ward Councillor), and Fr. George Punchayil (Patron, Organising Committee).
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Official Groupings
Boys Section:
•    Pool A: Thrissur, Trivandrum, Idukki, Malappuram
•    Pool B: Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam
•    Pool C: Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Palakkad
•    Pool D: Kasaragod, Wayanad, Kannur
Girls Section:
•    Pool A: Kozhikode, Kannur, Kasargod
•    Pool B: Alappuzha, Ernakulum, Palakkad
•    Pool C: Thrissur, Trivandrum, Malappuram
•    Pool D: Kollam, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta